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Trade brings excited forward to Albany Devils

Shane Harper should see significant playing time after coming from Springfield

By Pete Dougherty
| on March 2, 2017

Photo: Ronald Martinez

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DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 04: Shane Harper #38 of the Florida Panthers skates the puck against Cole Ully #57 of the Dallas Stars during a preseason game at American Airlines Center on October 4, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 660763579 less

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 04: Shane Harper #38 of the Florida Panthers skates the puck against Cole Ully #57 of the Dallas Stars during a preseason game at American Airlines Center on October 4, 2016 in Dallas, ... more

Photo: Ronald Martinez

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DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 04: Shane Harper #38 of the Florida Panthers skates the puck against Cole Ully #57 of the Dallas Stars during a preseason game at American Airlines Center on October 4, 2016 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 660763579 less

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 04: Shane Harper #38 of the Florida Panthers skates the puck against Cole Ully #57 of the Dallas Stars during a preseason game at American Airlines Center on October 4, 2016 in Dallas, ... more

Photo: Ronald Martinez

Trade brings excited forward to Albany Devils

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Adirondack Phantoms fans from four or five years ago will remember Shane Harper, but they may not recognize him.

Harper was mainly a fourth-line energy forward when he played for the Glens Falls-based American Hockey League team.

He is now a member of the Albany Devils, thanks to an NHL trade-deadline move Wednesday with the Florida Panthers, and Harper immediately will be granted quality minutes.

With his front line depleted by injuries and call-ups, coach Rick Kowalsky plans to use Harper as a top-six forward and power-play weapon as the Devils continue a six-game road trip Friday night.

"That's huge for them to throw me right in that top-six mix," Harper said Thursday after his first Devils practice. "I couldn't ask for anything more. That will make it easier playing those minutes, and he put me right back on the power play, as well. I've gotten an great opportunity. I just want to take advantage of it."

Harper, who was acquired in exchange for defenseman Reece Scarlett, had been playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds.

His career resurrection came after he left Glens Falls and caught on with the Chicago Wolves. He scored 32 goals in 2013-14 for Chicago's AHL team.

"You know the goal-scoring's there," Kowalsky said. "Some of these kids need to be put in the right situation, and right now we're lacking right-hand forwards. He certainly fits into that top-six role for us. I like his speed. He's got some years under his belt from when we last saw him in Glens Falls."

New Jersey general manager Ray Shero, who made the trade, called Harper's journey "a great story. He signed as a free agent, and he's worked to get to the NHL level this year."

Harper, 28, made the Florida Panthers roster out of training camp, contributing two goals and an assist in 14 games before getting assigned to Springfield.

"Honestly, I can't even describe it," Harper, a native of Valencia, Calif., said of making it to the NHL. "Coming into the camp, I wasn't expecting to make it, but I thought I had maybe an outside chance. I tried to work as hard as I could.

"The Panthers didn't lie to me. They said I had a chance there. They said that I was in their plans, and I owe a lot to them for giving me that opportunity. That month and a half was the best time of my life. It was incredible. It's hard to describe how cool it would be. I wouldn't have known how awesome it would be if I hadn't ever played there."

Harper provides some depth for New Jersey, but for now Albany appears to be the lone team in the organization on a track to postseason. The A-Devils are in second place in the North Division, nine points clear of Utica for the final playoff spot.

Springfield is 17 points from a playoff spot in the highly competitive Atlantic Division, so one phone call Wednesday afternoon immediately got Harper thinking about hockey in May.

"I was pretty surprised," said Harper, whose girlfriend is from Queensbury. "I already took my pregame nap (Wednesday). I woke up at about 2:30. We had a bus at 4 o'clock from the rink heading to Hartford. I figured it was already after 3 (the trade deadline) and nothing was going to happen, and I got a call from Eric Joyce from the Panthers, letting me know that I was traded. He had nothing but kind words. It was a surprise, but I'm excited.

"It's nice to feel wanted. Coming right back into the playoff race, it's a fun time of the year right now. It's a new thing for me to be traded, so I'm going to try to jump in with both feet and take advantage of it."